Today is: December 11th, 2008
 

United States Congressman John Kline United States Congressman John Kline
Issues - Veterans

Veterans

JOHN KLINE’S EXPERIENCE
 
  • United States Marine Corps: 25-years of service, retired at rank of Colonel
    • Distinguished himself as a helicopter pilot and earned the responsibility of flying Marine One, the President’s personal helicopter
    • Hand-picked to serve as a personal military aide to Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. 
    • Responsibilities included advising the President and our country’s senior civilian and military leadership. 
    • Carried the nuclear “football” – the briefcase containing the nuclear war plans and strike options in case of a national emergency. 
    • Served as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam
    • Commanded all Marine aviation forces in Operation Restore Hope in Somali
    • Served as the Program Development Officer at Headquarters Marine Corps, where he was responsible for the Program Objective Memorandum – the document used by the U.S. Armed Services to submit budgetary and planning proposals. 
    • Recipient of Four Legion of Merit medals
 
  • United States House of Representatives:
    • Member of House Armed Services Committee
    • Only active-duty Marine Corps veteran in U.S. House of Representatives
    • Considered by members from both sides of the aisle to be a foremost expert on veterans and defense issues
 
  • Family Experience:
    • Father of a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army who has served in Iraq and currently serves in Afghanistan
    • Husband of a retired career Army nurse
 
WORKING IN WASHINGTON TO SUPPORT OUR VETERANS
 
  • Championed and Steered Into Law Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Legislation
    • Congressman Kline introduced and championed legislation that establishes a national combat veteran reintegration program that provides National Guard members and their families with information, services, and opportunities throughout the deployment cycle.
    • Earlier this year, Congressman Kline was deeply humbled and honored to be the recipient of a Heritage Painting, one of the National Guard Bureau’s highest civilian awards, for championing the “Beyond the Yellow Ribbon” reintegration legislation and his “continued support of the National Guard.”
 
  • Co-sponsored and Helped Steer Into Law an Unprecedented GI Bill
    • Successfully co-sponsored and helped steer to passage an unprecedented GI bill that improves education benefits for veterans of today and tomorrow, and their families. The legislation, which was signed into law on June 30, 2008, is the product of two separate GI bills – sponsored by Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) – both of which Congressman Kline co-sponsored.
 
  • Introduced Veterans Upward Bound legislation
    • In the 110th Congress, Congressman Kline introduced the “Veterans Upward Bound Improvement Act,” legislation under the TRiO program that helps Reservists and National Guardsmen who have served on active duty since September 11, 2001, participate in federal programs to refresh their academic skills.  Previously, numerous veterans who were called to serve, including combat service, for less than 180 days were not eligible for the Veterans Upward Bound Program.
    • In 2008, Congressman Kline was honored by the Minnesota TRiO Association for his work on this issue and his unwavering support of low-income, first generation, and disabled students.
 
  • Ended Unfair Policy of Concurrent Receipt Prohibition
    • As a member of the Armed Services Committee, Congressman Kline helped negotiate the agreement that partially ended the unfair of policy of prohibiting concurrent receipt, which penalizes veterans for injures they received in service to their country. (Previously, for every dollar a disabled veteran received in disability benefits, a dollar was removed from their pension).
 
  • Championed the HEROES Act
    • Upon arriving to Congress in 2003, Congressman Kline’s first bill to become law was the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Student Act (HEROES), which was designed to ensure U.S. military reservists called to active duty are not forced to make payments on federal student loans while serving overseas. In 2007, Congressman Kline’s initiative was made permanent.
 
  • Successfully Stopped TRICARE Fee Increases
    • As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Kline continually opposed and successfully stopped TRICARE fee increases.
 
  • Corrected Administrative Pay Error for Red Bulls
    • When a clerical error deprived a large number of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division – Minnesota’s  famed “Red Bulls” – of their Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits, Congressman John Kline introduced legislation that would provide more than 1,100 Minnesota National Guard soldiers full GI Bill benefits by deeming them to have met the enrollment requirements.  This legislation corrects an error and restored benefits to more than 1,100 Minnesota soldiers.
 
  • Supported Largest Funding Increase for Veterans in VA’s 77-year History
  • The FY 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act included the largest funding increase in the 77-year history of the Veterans Affairs Department. The bill provides more than $37 billion for veterans programs – a  $3.18 billion increase over last year, including:
  • Increasing total spending at the Department of Veterans Administration from $4.09 billion to $5.75 billion (including contingent emergencies)—an increase of $1.67 billion or 40.7% over FY 2007.
 
  • Supported Wounded Warrior  Program
    • Provides the people, training, and oversight needed to ensure our wounded warriors will always receive quality care. This initiative also reforms administrative processes that will restore member confidence and begins the process of achieving a truly seamless transition of service members to the Department of Veterans Affairs programs.
 
  • Co-Sponsored and Helped Steer Into Law the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act
    • Directs the VA to develop and implement a comprehensive program to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans.
 
  • Supported the Traumatic Brain Injury Health Enhancement and Long-Term Support Act
    • Requires the VA to screen veterans for traumatic brain injury. It also requires the VA to establish a comprehensive program for long-term care of post-acute traumatic brain injury rehabilitation at the VA’s four polytrauma network sites, including the Minneapolis VA Medical Center.